Soaring demand for gold sparks unexpected rise in retail sales

Gold has experienced its strongest rally since the 1970s in recent months - Tolga Akmen/EPA/Shutterstock Rising demand for gold helped drive retail sales to a three-year high last month, delivering a small boost for Rachel Reeves ahead of the Budget. Sales across Britain’s high streets rose by 0.5pc in September according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), more than double market expectations of 0.2pc. It marks the best month for British retailers since July 2022, with the increase largely fuel ...